Mental Health for Older People (8AOK090)

Mental Health for Older People (8AOK090)

Level ~ Graduate Certificate
Availability ~ All teaching periods
Type ~ Older

This unit provides an introduction to  mental health of older people.  This includes the key elements of ageing, and the changes experienced by the old and very old person and the impact on their personal ecology and  inter-relationship changes.  Positive ageing and the support of improved outcomes for the older person are also explored, with  the key focus on work,  professional practice and inter-professional collaboration. This is Knowledge Unit and involves independent study and the completion of assessments  involving undertaking two quizzes.

For Term dates, see the Academic Calendar.


Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, students will be able to:

  • Examine  mental health, wellness and positive ageing in those over 65 years residing in Australia, and for those over 50 years  for Aboriginal people, considering biopsychosocial changes and focussing upon improving their outcomes.
  • Define and relate the dynamic nature, changes and tensions of the persons biopsychosocial environment and personal ecology for old and very old people living with mental ill-health, to consider the impacts and potential outcomes and inter-relationship changes.

Weekly Schedule
Week 1 Mental health and ageing
Week 2 Personal ecology
Week 3 Impact of ageing
Week 4 Living at a very old age
Week 5 Challenges for the very old and mental health